~ A site for my creative writing endeavors, writing prompt responses, and experimentation.

The Navy Man and the Poet

Ramrod tall, his skin almost as white as his hair, he busily worked on the morning crossword. His chair was always the one tucked away around the bend in the alcove of Starbucks. Stiffer than the other three; a desk type chair instead of the leather comfy chairs that were more in the open. The crossword puzzle always presented a challenge despite his diligence and discipline. As soon as someone approached, and they invariably did, he would query them on a clue or propose an answer.

And then the friends arrived. There were always friends, or at least acquaintances that routinely stopped to chat in his ubiquitous presence. It was as if he held court from his padded office chair, every Sunday morning without fail on the days I was there, and perhaps every day of the week. His bearing was military; dignified and in control. Apparently well-traveled, there would be talk of Hong Kong, Japan, places far from here. Navy, perhaps? Officer, most likely. Retired, with honors, my bet. His dress was casual, though casual in the sense of historical spit-and-polish. Pressed slacks, nicely tailored cashmere cardigan sweater, comfortably formal shoes. He was the center of attention.

And then he was gone.

It’s been a year now, maybe more. Has he moved on to another Starbucks? Or moved on to another world?

We never spoke, but somehow, inexplicably, I miss him.

Postscript: While not my original intention, as I wrote this I thought about a friend who passed away this week. Friend in the sense that while we never met, we had shared time on an online writing site, then when that site faded into oblivion, Facebook. A scientist by training and poet at heart, she was always there for others, encouraging their writing, sharing their poetry on her blog, and keeping calm while others vented at every perceived slight on the internet. Then suddenly, she was gone. Her long silent medical battle had come to an end. Thank you, Ann, for inspiring creativity and civility. You will be missed.

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11 thoughts on “The Navy Man and the Poet”

Thank you David”,for “The Navy Man And The Poet,” and for your kind enlightenments about Ann…with each bit of information from each friend, a more complete and lasting vision appears…I enjoy your writing.

I read this awhile ago, but I’m overwhelmed. If I’m not mistaken about the “Ann” of whom you speak (and I don’t think that I am), she was someone very understanding and very special. I truly admired her wisdom, and I also dearly appreciated her kindness toward me behind the scenes at that old website. I knew that she wasn’t well, but she never let on that it was anything more than an irritating nuisance.

The post is appropriate. I actually feel a tremendous regret. I was just reluctant to take the chair that had been slid my way. I can barely write this thinking about it.

Yes, that’s the Ann. And yes, she was very special to so many on the original site, the recreated site on FB, and in real life. I had wanted to write something but couldn’t find the words. This was my way of easing myself into them.

This event got me thinking about how I now have friends I never met. Connected ethereally, it is now possible to build as strong a connection online as the people we see in real life. Overall, I think that is a good thing. But it also reminds us to actively maintain all the connections we have, and to spend physical and emotional time with those with whom we have the opportunity. Time is finite, and the recognition of that is why I chose more than a year ago to refocus my energies on what matters. I’m financially poorer, but emotionally and intellectually richer by far for that choice.

The Internet is a strange phenomenon. Physical filters to the development of social connections are largely removed, and we get the opportunity to see others from the inside out. It allows relationships that might never take place in a material reality, and they can be powerful — but they can also be easier to dismiss. I’m actually surprised how much this news has affected me, and it’s caused some serious introspection.

Time is indeed finite; I’ve never entertained any illusions otherwise. An occasional refocus is a good thing. It’s easy to get caught up in the unimportant, distracted by life’s sleight-of-hand while the parts of reality that truly matter take place outside our gaze. Wealth can be measured in many ways.